Page 1131 - Week 03 - Thursday, 22 March 2012
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The Pearce and Chifley cyclepath project objectives are consistent with the encouragement of active transport as part of the transport for Canberra strategy, the actions necessary to modify people’s travel behaviour and to increase the level of active transport over the next 15 years. This includes a commitment to increase the percentage of commuters walking, cycling and using public transport to 23 per cent of overall daily commutes by 2016.
MR SPEAKER: Supplementary, Mr Hargreaves.
MR HARGREAVES: Minister, given the significance of walking and cycling as active modes of transport in the government’s transport strategy, what other plans does the government have in delivering cycling and walking infrastructure?
MS GALLAGHER: The government has allocated $9 million to a number of walking and cycling priority projects. These include the city cycle loop, which has an estimated cost of $6 million over three years. The initial stages of this city loop, which cover the sections from Marcus Clarke Street to Mort Street and from Edinburgh Avenue to Rudd Street, are under design and will go to construction later this year.
In addition to the Pearce and Chifley community path, other cycling and walking projects include: a Kings Avenue on-road cycle lane and off-road path improvements; accessibility improvements to walking infrastructure in the main town centres of Canberra, Tuggeranong, Belconnen and Gungahlin, and these improvements will benefit visually and mobility impaired people; interim off-road footpath improvements at Kingston foreshore; further investigation of converting sections of Bunda Street in the city and Hibberson Street in Gungahlin to “shared spaces” for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers; and the provision of cycling facilities along both sides of Yamba Drive between Yarra Glen and the Canberra Hospital.
This shows that the government is serious about addressing our transport challenges. Whilst Canberra may have been built for the car, Mr Coe, time does not stand still and we must continue to look at alternative means of transport. Without this kind of planning, the city will inevitably be choked by cars and then it will be too late to ask the question: why has this happened and where were the decision makers when they needed to be making decisions about this?
This has been a focus of the parliamentary agreement with the Greens, to improve cycling and walking. I think we have done a good job in that over the last three years. There is more to be done. I think the Heart Foundation’s latest survey around children going to school is really interesting and we need also to turn our attention to that part of fixing the planning.
MR COE: A supplementary.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mr Coe.
MR COE: Chief Minister, will any of the work undertaken through the revitalising Civic project have to be changed or ripped up as a result of implementing the Civic cycle loop?
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